SpiderMan: Day's End
by Angelus-v1
Summary: Months after a deal was made, Peter Parker finds himself facing the biggest mistake of his life and must confront an enemy responsible for shattering his world as he attempts to bring the longest day of his life to an end.
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1**The sun rose over New York City, casting a yellow-red light throughout the streets. People were waking up to begin their day of work or school while others were just getting in from their various nighttime activities. They were normal people with normal lives except for one lone figure high above their heads.He moved faster than the eye could see and was only a red and blue blur to those who may have caught a glimpse of him. The figure didn't fly through the air, but instead swung from thin strands of clear webbing, which was shot out of wrist mounted mechanisms called web shooters. Having done this for years, the figure, known to all as Spider-Man, swung from building to building at break neck speed. He flung himself between buildings, through alleyways, and over rooftops to travel through the city with reckless abandon. While ordinary people went on with their everyday lives, this extraordinary person was just ending his long night of crime fighting. While no major super villain was committing a crime, he did stop a handful of convenience store robberies, a car theft, drug dealers, and a man who was beating on his wife in an ally. It had been an eventful night but now it was time to finally turn in. With the day off from work, Spider-Man's alter ego, Peter Parker, could rest all day long without anything or anyone to disturb him.Since starting his life as a superhero from the day he got bit by an irradiated spider, he got to see the city unlike no other person alive. One of his favorite spots in the city was at the top of the Empire State Building. Swinging around the skyscraper, he soon was at the top and ascended the metal framework that stood on the roof until he was standing on top one of the highest buildings in New York. With no one around him at this height, he took his mask off and allowed the wind to blow through his dark brown hair as he gazed at the rising sun over the horizon that lit up the city. It looked so peaceful from this view as if there was no evil in the world. The maskless Peter closed his eyes and took a deep breath. For the moment everything was at peace. That moment soon ended however, as a familiar tingle, his Spider Sense began blaring through his head.He cringed at the pain he felt in his head and quickly looked around and saw no signs of danger anywhere, yet his Spider Sense continued to buzz. As he continued to look around him, the blaring in his head suddenly stopped. "Ok, that was weird," he said as he looked in the direction where his Spider Sense stopped. He slowly looked around him only to have the buzzing return, almost as if it was telling him that there was only one way for him to go and not be in danger. "Well, call me crazy but I should go and check it out. All I wanted was to go home and get some sleep."

Diving off the building, Peter Parker slipped his mask back over his head and fired a web-line out, snagged a flagpole, and swooped upward a few inches from colliding with the ground and swung back through the city of New York. When his Spider Sense buzzed, he changed course and headed towards the direction where it calmed down. It wasn't long until he ended up at an alley way. After scooping out the surrounding area, Spider-Man leapt down into the darkened environment.

The alley faced a direction that allowed only a sliver of morning light to pass into it. Being cautious, he slowly made his way down the alley. "Hello? Anybody here?" He was at about the ally's midpoint when a hand clamped down on shoulder. "Who the…" he shouted as he quickly spun around with a fist cocked back, ready to deliver a punch.

"Trust me. You do not want to do that," came a voice from behind him where he was just facing.

Turning back around, he saw where the voice originated. An old raggedy homeless man was standing in front of him, looking at the masked vigilante.

"Who, who are you? How did…" Spider-Man asked, ready for a fight if need be.

"Mr. Parker, I can do many things. Which is something you should know by now," the man said.

Spider-Man was taken by surprise by the mentioning of his real name. "How…how did you know who I am? And why didn't you trigger my Spider Sense?"

"I know a lot about you Parker. Even what you don't know."

"Ok, now you're just talking crazy. What the hell are you talking about and who are you?" Spider-Man asked as he started to lose his temper.

"I can't tell you here but trust me when I say you'll learn soon enough."

"No, I want to know now! It's obvious that you lead me here so tell me who you are and how you know what you know or, ACK!" As Spider-Man approached the elderly man, he was stopped in his tracks when the homeless man placed two fingers on his head, making his body suddenly go rigid.

"Know this Parker," the old man said. "I don't have much time for explanations so listen carefully. Tomorrow, you will wake up with your eyes truly open for the first time. You will see things in this world for what they truly are and you will seek me out again."

A yellow light emitted from the man's hand and passed through his palm into and Spider-Man's head. The light became so bright and blinding that it was as if the sun was right there in the alley with them. When it finally faded out, no one was there and the alleyway was empty.

All was quiet in the apartment of Peter Parker as he slept. The costume he wore as Spider-Man lay on the floor in a crumpled heap with his mask resting on the digital clock by his bed when its alarm went off and emitted a harsh buzzing noise that woke him up. A drowsy hand reached over and slapped the top of the alarm to stop the irritating buzzing as Peter slowly got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. He leaned over the sink and splashed a hand full of water on his face to help him wake up and dried off. When he put the towel down to look in the mirror, he received a major fright.

For an instant, he saw a grotesque figure behind him in the mirror but when he spun around, no one was there, just an empty apartment. Slowly, Peter turned back around to face the mirror but the figure was gone and only his own reflection stared back at him. All the hairs on his body stood up at the sight of the thing he saw in the mirror. He exited his bathroom and began to search his apartment but found nothing out of the ordinary. Despite not seeing anyone in the apartment with him or having his Spider Sense warn him of any possible intruders, he still didn't feel as if he was alone. With no evidence to suspect someone was with him, he got himself ready and grabbed a few clothes from his closet when he noticed a small white mark on his finger.

"What the…" Peter said as he looked closely at the white area on his left ring finger. The white mark circled his finger completely, almost as if he had worn a ring for years. "Hmm, glove must've been tighter than I thought." He turned from the closet and finished getting ready; making sure that his Spider-Man costume wasn't showing as he left his apartment. If he would have looked back before closing his door, he would have seen the same ghastly figure watching him leave.

It didn't take long for Peter to reach the house of May Parker, his aunt and only mother he has ever known. Web slinging across the city proved to be extremely faster than driving a car or public transportation. The only problem he had was keeping the flowers he had bought from a street side vendor intact as he swung to his Aunt's house. After a quick change into his civilian clothes, he walked the last few blocks to her home, all the while thinking about what he saw in his apartment a few minutes ago. As he approached the door, he put all thoughts of the creature in the back of his mind and instead began to think of how much Mary Jane…

_Now that's someone I haven't thought of in a while. I wonder what made me think of her._ Peter thought when the door opened and his Aunt greeted him.

"Oh Peter, how nice to see you" Aunt May said as she stood in the doorway.

"You too Aunt May," he said as he handed her the flowers.

"Oh how lovely, dear. I'll go put these in some water," May Parker said as she hugged her nephew.

"Sorry I can't stay long," Peter said as they made their way inside May's house. "I've got to go meet Harry for lunch over at…"

Peter stopped dead in his tracks as May rounded the corner of the living room and went into the kitchen. He looked in the large mirror hanging on the wall and saw a creature resembling the one he saw earlier in his apartment standing where his Aunt was. He walked slowly around the corner and looked at his Aunt who was filling a vase with water for her flowers. He than looked back in the mirror and once again saw the ugly, horned creature standing in her place.

_What the… what's going on?_ Peter thought as he looked away from the mirror. _This can't be real. My… my Spider Sense would be going off… to warn me of… _Backing up, he couldn't believe what he was seeing and tried to leave the house quietly.

"Peter?" May asked as she sat the vase down on the coffee table in her living room. "Is anything wrong?"

_Hell yes! I can't believe what I'm seeing and I might be going crazy! _"Um, no Aunt May," he said. "I just forgot that I'm supposed to meet Harry for lunch and I'm running late."

"Oh, well I don't want you to be late. Thank you for the flowers Peter, they're lovely." May walked up to her nephew and hugged him goodbye, which made him jump slightly. "Peter? Are you sure there's nothing wrong with you? Are you catching a cold?"

"Uh, no Aunt May. I… just got a slight chill," he answered as he looked in the mirror at the creature before him. It was red from the tips of its horns to the bottom of its cloven feet.

Once outside, Peter took a look back in his Aunt's house. To him she was the same elderly woman who raised him all these years from when he was a child. She looked, sounded, and smelled like May Parker except when she crossed in front of the mirror again, a hideous creature was in her place. He rubbed his eyes and took one last look before turning away, trying to figure out what he just saw.

Peter couldn't remember how long it took him to walk from his Aunt's house to the restaurant where Harry Osborn, his best friend, was waiting for him. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice he had walked such a long distance. When he finally arrived at his destination, he found the fancy restaurant completely crowded with Harry waiving him over once he saw him enter.

"Late as usual I see," Harry said as he and Peter sat down.

"Yeah, sorry Har," Peter said.

"Is something wrong Pete?"

"No, just have a lot on my mind." _Like the fact that I may be going crazy._

The two continued to talk until their waitress approached them for their order. Harry went first as Peter skimmed his menu when he saw something in a reflection from a spoon that was sitting on the table. While Harry spoke and flirted with the waitress, Peter nonchalantly maneuvered the spoon in such a way to capture Harry's full reflection. His eyes grew wide at what he saw and he prayed to God that he was seeing things, as Harry's reflection was like Aunt May's, a grotesque demonic creature.

"So Pete," Harry asked. "What do you want?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

"So Pete, what do you want?"

These were the words Peter's best friend, Harry Osborn; spoke in the restaurant an hour ago. For the entire time they ate, Peter hardly spoke a word. The image he saw in the spoon's reflection of a demonic Harry was burned into his head along with the reflection of his Aunt May. In fact, it had got to the point he had enough of the whole situation and made up an excuse to leave. It didn't take long for him to shed his street clothes and once again don his Spider-Man costume to web swing as far and fast away from the restaurant as he could.

_What do I want?_ Peter said to himself. _I want to know what the hell is going on!_

After putting some good distance between himself and Harry, Spider-Man landed on a ledge overlooking Central Park. He leaned against the large building before turning around and reached for his mask, stopping himself before he pulled the cloth off. No one on the streets below paid any attention to him and there was no one in the office building behind the large glass window he stood in front of. The only reason he stopped himself from removing the mask is that he was nervous that he would see a grotesque figure underneath.

He pulled off his mask slowly, hoping he would see his face in the windows reflection and not some creature's. When he finally uncovered his face, he let out a sigh of relief and leaned his head against the glass. The sound of cars and trucks passing below were not registering with Peter as he stood against the window contemplating the day's events. The creature he saw or thought he saw in his apartment, Harry and Aunt May's reflections, all were grotesque creatures in their reflections but he wasn't.

"Okay, I'm not crazy," he told his reflection. "I cut myself shaving this morning and it hurt so I can't be dreaming either. So what the hell is going on?"

Then it hit him. Images of the old man in the ally yesterday ran through his mind as if some lost memory suddenly came to him. "The old man. He must have done something to me. Made me see things that are not really there."

Turning around, Peter donned his mask and leapt from the ledge than fired a web line all in one fluid motion. "It'll take me a little while to get there. All I have to say is that he had better still be there or it wont be pretty once I find him. Whatever he did to me I'm going to make sure he reverses it and maybe, just maybe, I'll go easy on him."

As he swung away from the building, clawed hands rubbed against the inside of the glass where Peter was standing. The same creature from his apartment watched as the red and blue clad hero disappeared from view.

With numerous stoplights and traffic backups that would please any New York driver, it usually would take around an hour to reach the part of the city where Spider-Man was heading to. He covered it in about ten minutes. When he reached his destination, Spider-Man wasted no time looking for the old man he met the other day.

"Hey, old timer! Where are you?" Spider-Man yelled. "Come out here now!"

"No need to yell Peter," the old man said, appearing seemingly from out of nowhere. " I'm right here."

Facing the old man now, Spider-Man quickly pinned him to the nearest wall. "What did you do to me?" He demanded to know. "Who are you and why am I seeing these things?"

With a bright flash of light, Spider-Man found himself flying across the ally and hit the opposite wall behind him hard. He was unable to move and was forced to stay there while the old man stepped towards him.

"Impressive trick, but I've seen better. I've fought Mysterio before and…"

"Shut up!" The old man commanded. "Now you listen to me closely. What you are seeing in the mirrors is not a trick or illusion. I gave you the ability to see a person for what they truly are. To see what really lies beneath. The creatures you are seeing are obviously not human. They're demons sent to keep an eye on you, to keep you from the truth."

"Oh, well, that makes a lot of sense," Spider-Man said. "But newsflash, I wasn't born yesterday and I don't think I'm Shallow Hal. Now let me down you Gandolf wannabe and tell me who you are."

"You still don't understand do you Parker?" the old man asked. "This isn't a trick. This isn't a game. What you see is what these people really are. A mirror reflects what really is inside a person and doesn't lie. Good or Evil. Man or beast. I gave you the ability to look under a person's skin and view them for what they truly are."

"No, you just did something to me to try and drive me crazy." Spider-Man continued to struggle against the invisible restraints holding him against the wall. "Now who the hell are you?"

The old man leaned towards the prone Spider-Man "I warn you Parker, don't mock me. I have come to help you if you choose to allow me to. Make a choice. Accept my help or go on with you're life as it is right now. But if you choose for me to help you, you have to go all the way and not stop until it's all over, you may not even survive at all. So choose carefully. I can let you go or I can help you take back what was yours."

At that moment, Spider-Man was feeling like Keanau Reeves. It was obvious that whoever this person was, he had strong powers but posed no threat as his Spider Sense would go off. But what did he mean by "take back what's his?"

The old man waived his hand and caused Spider-Man to be released from the wall. "Now choose."

"What did you mean by…"

"I said choose!"

"Ok," Spider-Man blurted out. "Tell me everything."

A bright light flashed like and like yesterday, they vanished from sight. Before they disappeared, Peter prayed they he was making the right decision. If not, than it wouldn't be the first time he had gotten himself into trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

The room was dark and filled with an old musty smell due to the large number of books it contained. A few of which were centuries old. Spider-Man and the old, homeless vagrant, appeared out of nowhere from a bright white light in the middle of the room, which was illuminated by hundreds of candles.

Rubbing his eyes through his mask to get rid of the flash effect, Spider-Man looked around and was shocked to find he was no longer in an alleyway in the middle of New York City. With his vision still blurry, he struggled to get some idea of where he was at. Aside from the shelves of books, there were numerous gothic statues and strange writings on the floor. Even the ceiling had cryptic writing on it.

"Where are we?" When no response came he asked again. "Hey magic man, where are we?"

"If you want your life back," the old man said as his appearance changed, "You need to pay very close attention."

The dirty, baggy clothes he wore shrunk to become a somewhat form fitting garb. A blue top and long yellow sash morphed from being a raggedy old shirt with a long flowing red cape falling to the floor behind him. Finally, his face changed and grew younger looking as a black goatee grew on his face.

"Doctor Strange?" It was the only response Spider-Man could come up with.

Far away from New York City in Los Angeles, a red haired woman was leaving an exclusive restaurant with her movie star boyfriend. As always, there were numerous paparazzi waiting outside, fighting each other for the best possible moment to capture on film. All of them were calling out "Bobby" or "Mr. Carr" along with "Mary Jane" or "MJ" for short under the bright outdoor lights of the buildings covering.

"Can you believe this? Make a few movies and everyone wants a piece of you," Bobby said.

"Well what do you expect?" Mary Jane asked. "You did have one of the biggest movies of the year, not to mention one of the most highest earnings of…"

At that moment something caught her eye, or really someone. For an instant one of the photographers looked exactly like her old fiancé Peter Parker. His face quickly changed back to that of another man the moment his flash went off.

"One of the most what?" Bobby asked to a somewhat zoned out Mary Jane. "Mary? Mary, is something wrong?"

Snapping back into reality, she shook her head. "Uh, no. Nothing's wrong. Let's just get out of here."

"Are you sure? I thought you wanted to go clubbing tonight."

"Um, no. I just need to go home and…" Again she saw Peter's face only this time it was on her boyfriend's body. It was like Peter was right there with her.

"Alright," he said. "I'll take you home and stay with you until you feel better."

"No, that's not necessary. I'm just gonna go and sleep this off. I think I just need some rest away from all of this." With that, the Hollywood couple got into a waiting car and drove off.

Back in New York, in Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum, Peter Parker was laying down on an old antique sofa while Doctor Strange recited various Latin incantations to clear Peter's mind. Incense was burned to provide a soothing atmosphere and candles burned on a small table nearby.

"I have done my part Peter, now the rest is up to you," Doctor Strange spoke to a semi-conscious Peter. "Just relax. Your memories will slowly come back so don't force yourself to remember. Just rest and I'll fill you in on everything that has transpired."

As Peter lay on the couch, a grayish haze encircled his head with small multi colored lights appearing and piercing his mind.

"Can you hear me Peter?" Doctor Strange asked him as the colors swirled around Peter's head.

"Yes."

"Pay attention to my voice and I'll explain everything. Months ago, you participated in a war between the heroes of earth. You originally sided with Tony Stark, Ironman, and unmasked yourself in front of the world."

As Doctor Strange spoke, images in Peter's mind began to form as the events he described came to life as the lights slowly intensified.

"As the days and civil war went on, you realized that your unmasking was a mistake and sided with Steve Rogers, Captain America, in order to preserve the anonymity of super heroes everywhere. Steve's side lost after he saw how much damage they were causing and surrendered. You were then hunted down by the US government and Stark's so called police squad."

More images appeared in Peter's mind He slowly remembered the Civil war and the other reason Captain America's side lost. It was doing more harm than good.

"Then you returned to your loved ones later that night. A sniper was waiting for you and as you joined them, he shot and fatally wounded your aunt."

This bit of information made Peter twitch on the couch as the lights around his head increased in speed and grew brighter.

"You went to the best minds available to you including me but to no avail. Your Aunt was dying."

Peter's twitching and breathing began to increase as more and more memories came back to him.

"It was in this weakened and hopeless state when a very powerful demon named Mephisto appeared to you and your loved one and offered you both a deal; May's life for your love, happiness, and future together. An offer you both accepted."

"No…" Peter said as Doctor strange continued. His hands turned into fists and his body became taught as every muscle flexed.

"It was then that the demon altered reality as you know it and created an illusion that affected the entire world. One where no one knows who you are behind the mask, your aunt was never shot and you were never married.

It all came back to peter in that instant. The gunshot, May dying, the demon and his wife.

"Mary Jane!" Peter yelled at the top of his lungs as he sat straight up. When he opened his eyes he found he was still in the dark room he had arrived in earlier.

"Now that you know the truth and your eyes have finally been opened to what has happened," Doctor Strange said as he placed a hand on Peter's shoulder. "How do you feel?"

Peter grabbed his head and winced in pain. "My head, it hurts. It feels like it's on fire."

"You don't know how awkward that makes me feel," came a voice from the shadows.

Peter's eyes widened as out from a darkened corner stepped Johnny Blaze, The Ghost rider. "Boy, you don't know how much you've screwed up."


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4**

"**Peter!" Mary Jane cried out as she sat up in her bed. **

**Sweat poured off of her in buckets and her breathing was quickened. Her hands shook and a worried look was on her face as she looked out her bedroom window. The partly cloudy sky of the atmosphere had become a light downpour that in turn reflected what she felt inside.**

**She could have sworn that Peter was right there next to her earlier that evening at the restaurant and not hundreds of miles away. In fact, the dream she had before she awoke felt just as real with her in his arms until they were violently ripped away from each other by an unseen force.**

"**Oh God, please help me. And Peter." She clutched her knees tightly to her chest as she looked up into the cloud filled night sky.**

**Back in Dr. Strange's Sanctum, a maskless Spider-Man was stunned to find Johnny Blaze, The Ghost Rider, standing before him.**

"**Blaze?" Peter said as Johnny stepped from the shadows. "What are you doing here?"**

"**I'm here because you made a big damn mistake web head. You actually believed what Mephisto told you and made a deal with him." Johnny walked up to Peter who sat on the couch in the darkened room. His heavy boots thundered with every step he took. "I of all people know what it is to make a deal with him and I hoped others would learn from my mistake."**

"**I…" Peter said before Johnny broke in.**

"**Shut up! Dr. strange here asked me to help you and after he told me about the price you paid, I agreed. No one should give up the person they love for anything. That's why I made the deal. I wanted to save my father, but there's a reason he's called the lord of lies."**

"**I told you once before," Dr. strange spoke. "When it's someone's time there's nothing you can do. They can't be saved. She was already dead before the deal was made."**

"**What?" Peter asked.**

"**Minutes before you and him never spoke of the deal, your aunt May passed on."**

"**Oh God." Peter said as he put his head in his hands.**

"**Yeah," Johnny said as he crossed his arms. "He's pretty pissed at you too."**

"**It was for nothing. I lost May. I lost Mary Jane. For nothing. It felt as if something had been missing for months but…oh God."**

"**That's what Mephisto does, make empty promises. And now, Strange here has convinced me to lend you my powers for the time being."**

"**What?" Peter said looking up. "Why? Why are you two helping me?"**

"**As cheesy as it sounds, Parker, Love is actually the strongest force in the universe. One person gives up something so another can be happy, even for the most briefest of moments, or someone gives their life for another or to another. What you and your wife had was so incredibly powerful that he couldn't wait to get his hands on it. He and his master could potentially shift the fight between good and evil here on earth. And now that he has something that powerful, well, let's just say that we're all pretty much screwed unless it can be taken away from him."**

"**Peter," Doctor Strange said. "We don't have much time. I'll need an hour or two to cast the right spells and amass enough spiritual energy to allow you into Mephisto's realm as well as transfer Johnny's powers to you."**

"**Why would I need his powers?" Peter asked. "I have my own."**

"**Believe me," said Johnny. "You're going to need much more than web shooters in hell."**

**Two hours later, Peter Parker was sitting alone in a second, smaller darkened room. Along with the spell that was cast over him and false memories replanted in his mind, the most painful one was his and Mary Jane's wedding day never happening, after which they both went their separate ways. It was all a lie. There were so many questions he had like, did she still love him? Would she ever forgive him for what he's done? Could they ever be reunited as husband and wife again? He wanted her back. All those months of feeling as if something was missing finally made sense, he was missing his wife. His other half.**

"**Peter, Showtime." Johnny said as he opened the door.**

**Standing in the middle of the previous room in a large circle with various incantations inscribed around it, Dr. strange and Johnny blaze prepared to send Peter into hell.**

"**Remember Parker," Johnny said. "Once you arrive there. You'll be completely alone. When you need it, remember what you lost. Your love, hate, every feeling and emotion you have, use it and you can use my Ghost Rider power."**

"**And when you feel as if all is lost," Doctor Strange spoke up. "Think of the reason you are doing this. Think about the implications of your actions and think about what could happen should you fail."**

**Peter didn't say a word. He simply put his mask on and let the angry eyes of his mask speak for him. Both Johnny and Doctor Strange got the idea of what he was feeling when he did that.**

**As Doctor Strange began reciting his incantations, Peter Parker silently stood still, thinking hard about what he was going to do. Aunt May was gone, that was something he couldn't change but he could rectify one mistake and if it came to it, he would give his life if need be to assure Mary Jane was free of this and safe. He could feel a heat inside his core that threatened to engulf him fully and remembered Johnny's words about using his emotions to trigger them. **

**With the final words said, a bright column of white light encircled him. It was bright enough to warrant the use of a hand to help block out the light. In another flash of bright light, he was gone with only Doctor Strange and Johnny Blaze left behind.**

"**So," Johnny said. "You think he can do it?"**

**Doctor Strange inhaled deeply and looked at the depowered superhero. He then turned away, not saying a word.**


	5. Chapter 5

**5.**

_**So this is hell**_**. Peter thought to himself.**

**As he descended from Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum within a column of white light, he looked all around him. The environment resembled an overly dry desert that was red in appearance. Flames shot up from deep chasms and the sound of people screaming in pain could be heard all around him. Large stalactites and stalagmites rose and descended from the ground and overhead with some of them forming stone columns with scenes of suffering on them.**

_**Geez, I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, and I have at least five or six. Yet here I am, but I'm not staying here long. I'm here for one thing and one thing only, to get my life back like it's supposed to be and that means getting Mary Jane, my wife back.**_

**After a few moments, Peter sat foot on the dry, rocky ground A few yards from where his quarry set on a stone thrown ordained with skulls on the hand rests. Immediately, he knew the magnitude of the mistake you made as he looked upon the demon Mephisto, The same demon that changed not only his life, but the entire worlds with a simple lie. There beside him was a cryptic looking container holding what looked like a bright white light, sitting atop a pedestal and Peter instantly knew what it was.**

"**You dare enter my realm?" the demon spoke.**

**Peter didn't know what to do or say, he just stood there in front of the demon and froze in place.**

"**In all this time, I often wondered when I would lay eyes upon you again. Though, I somewhat never expected it to be so soon or within the confines of my domain."**

**As the demon spoke, Peter never looked away from the light filled container.**

"**Even behind that garish mask. I see your eyes. You look upon my prize as if it belongs to you, but remember, you made a deal. A deal that cannot be broken and gave up what you held dear."**

**The eyes behind the enlarged slivers of Plexiglas lens is of Spider-Man narrowed with anger. "I know the truth Mephisto. There was no deal. There was no promise. You lied about saving my aunt May."**

"**And what makes you say that?"**

"**She's dead. She was gone before we accepted your so-called deal."**

"**We?" the demon asked. "Who do you mean by 'we'?" He stood up from his throne, putting a clawed hand on the container to his right, if for nothing more than to further taunt the mortal before him. "It's just you, boy."**

"**No. I was not the only one that made a mistake. It was I and Mary Jane. I know what happened. I know it was all a lie!"**

**Mephisto gripped the container, leaving claw marks on its top. His eyes narrowed and a thin smoke trail escaped his nostrils. "Name."**

"**What?" Spider-Man asked.**

"**A name. Who told you this?"**

"**I'm not telling you anything! I want my life back!" Spider-Man gripped his hands tightly. "I'm not leaving here until I've set things right."**

"**You're not leaving here period."**

**With thunderous steps, the demon descended down the steps from the throne he sat on. His long red cape flowed heavily across the ground behind him and his red collar made it appear as if two long horns protruded from his grotesque face.**

**Towering over the superhero before him, Mephisto stared hatred at him. "We had a deal. You got what you wanted out of it. Your precious aunt May. The mother you wanted to save. You got her back just like you wanted."**

**Once again he placed his clawed hand atop the container. "And I got one of the greatest trophies imaginable."**

**Spider-Man stared at the demon then at the container and back again. He needed to pick his moment when it became a valuable. Knowing how powerful he was, Spider-Man wanted to snatch the container and break it without risking a confrontation.**

"**You'll never get your chance," the demon said. "It's best if you just leave my domain. I won't let this infraction become any worse than what it is. I'll even make it to where you can have anything or anyone, so long as you leave here quietly. You did, after all, give me what I wanted. So I will be lenient this one time."**

**Peter continued staring at the container. A warm feeling of anger and hatred enveloped him as he thought of the life that was his and Mary Jane's set a few feet in front of them. With one swift movement, he fired a web line at the container and snagged it. Before he could pull it into his grasp; however, Mephisto tightened grip on it and snapped his head around.**

"**I gave you your chance. You wasted it. Now you will pay for ignoring my generosity."**

**Faster than Spider-Man thought was possible, Mephisto turned and threw a large ball of hell fire at him. He leapt out of the way with barely any room to second-guess himself. The hellfire burst upon hitting the ground, scolding the lower parts of his legs but left no real damage.**

**Landing on his hands and flipping to his feet, Spider-Man fired another web line to am over hanging stalactite and swung at the demon as fast and hard as he could, but the Mephisto was one step ahead of him and blocked the attack with single hand.**

**Falling his back, he had to move quickly as the demon went to stomp on his chest cavity. His hoof came down hard enough to crack the dry rock underneath. With the amount of force used on the attack, he couldn't refocus himself for another attempt or to even block one as a fist connected with his jaw.**

**The demon yelled in pain as several of his teeth cracked. Looking at his hands, Mephisto saw blood, his blood. It was something he hadn't seen in the time since a great battle waged between himself and his former bounty Hunter, Johnny Blaze.**

**Staring at his blood, he couldn't believe a mere mortal without supernatural powers could inflict such damage. In his hellish domain, he was ruler; never would he or should he be succumbed to injury from a mortal of any sort. Yet that didn't explain why his blood was now on his hands.**

**Instead of being distracted by the sudden appearance and realization of injury, he should have paid more attention to the red and blue clad man who delivered another massive blow to his face. More blood flew from his mouth, a sign that this mortal more than meant business.**

"**You can't give me what I want!" Spider-Man cocked his fist back for another blow, one that he was sure would put the demon down on his rear.**

**The hit never landed as Mephisto blocked it and retreated to higher ground with the container in his grasp. He needed time to analyze the situation, gauge what this mortal desired, and how he could use it against him. He wasn't a masterful liar for nothing but knew Spider-Man was on a one track mind set at the moment. He needed a distraction, one that would offer him a chance to gain the upper hand. He needed what Spider-Man most desired.**

**Placing the container on a pedestal, he rejoined the fight. Spider-Man was on his way up to where Mephisto was when he was caught by the throat by the demon in slammed into the ground.**

"**Always remember," he said. "I gave you the chance to return to the mortal realm and you refused. This is the end for you!"**

**Raising a hand, the demon summoned a bright light beside the pedestal and chains formed from the ground. Appearing within the light was a form Spider-Man knew. The form of someone he was fighting for. The only reason he was a hero and never backed down. It was Mary Jane.**

"**Wha… Where?" she said. Dressed in a pair of light blue pajama bottoms and a pink tank top, it looked as if she had turned in for the night.**

"**How does it feel to see her in my chains? You could have gone back and have anything you wanted. I could have made it to where everyone loved you. I could have made it to where you could have been whatever you wanted to have any woman you wanted."**

"**I only want her," Peter gasped out."**

"**Quiet," the demon said. "You refused. She accepted the deal I offered along with you, but pathetically added that you have a happy life because you deserve it for some reason. As for her, she only wanted a copy of you to be with, a shadow of who you are. What she sees in you I will never know."**

"**Peter?" Struggling against her restraints, Mary Jane couldn't free herself. She never looked more terrified in her life. "Peter, what's happening? What's going on?"**

**Spider-Man tried to answer but couldn't with Mephisto's strong grip on his neck. To add insult to injury, the demon ripped his mask off and threw it in a nearby fiery chasm.**

"**You won't be needing this," he said. "I want her to see your eyes when all life fades from them."**

"**Let him go!" Mary Jane yelled, her chains were unyielding. "Peter!"**

**She didn't need an explanation as to why she was here, she knew the answer once she got her bearings and saw Peter, the man she loved, in the grip of a monstrosity. She hated everything that the demon was. The thought of Peter living a life of happiness was the only reason she was in a situation. She would do anything for him and seeing him here in hell reminded her that he would do anything for her as well.**

**With a powerful hit, Mephisto bloodied peters face. He continued to pummel the hero with a sickening glee as Mary Jane cried Peter's name.**

"**Want to know something, Parker?" the demon said. "This is perhaps one of the greatest lies of all, outdone only by convincing mankind that my kind does not exist. I convinced the world that they do not know who you are with others being used as pawns. I convinced two beings with the greatest of gifts, true love, to throw it away. I got two prices for one deal. You and the woman's life together, and the soul of Wilson Fisk."**

_**Fisk?**_** Peter thought. **_**Fisk is behind this?**_

**Being fueled by even more range from seeing Mary Jane used like this and the realization of Mephisto not being the only one involved, Peter tried harder to get himself free. He fired a web shot at the face of the demon who blocked it effortlessly before being thrown yards across the hellish landscape.**

"**Peter!" Mary Jane cried as she saw the body of the man she loved flung like a rag doll into a large stone pillar as a large ball of hellfire, which was flung by the demon, engulfed him completely.**

"**Peter!" Tears ran down her face as fire consumed the area in which he lay.**

"**Quiet cow," the demon said. "Unlike him, you still have a life with that…"**

**Before he could finish, a rage filled yell erupted from the toppled pillar. Mary Jane froze as the demon looked on in disbelief as the rubble began to move.**

**Again the yell filled the demon's domain and this time, several large pieces of the pillar exploded with a thunderous boom as a man stood up from the remains.**

**The look on Mephisto's face, a look of disbelief and terror, was priceless.**


	6. Chapter 6

**6.**

**Inside the layer of Dr. Strange, Johnny Blaze, The Ghost Rider, paced back and forth like an angry pit-bull ready for a fight. Having first-hand experience in fighting Mephisto, he knew all too well how powerful the demon was. His powers couldn't give Peter the edge in the fight, but at least they would be on somewhat even ground. Or close to it.**

"**Strange." Johnny stopped his pacing and approached the Master of the Mystic arts. "Strange, can you see anything? How's he doing down there?"**

**Since shortly after Peter descended into the demon's layer, Doctor Strange had been in a state of meditation to not so much as see the battle taking place, but to, in a sense, feel it. A rather large pendent hanging from his neck glowed a bright yellow, something he had prepared for if his powers ever waned or were lost. He wasn't as strong as he once was, but was strong enough.**

"**I since our friend is currently engaged with his adversary."**

"**And?"**

"**He is losing ground."**

"**You've got to bring him back. If he dies down there…"**

"**Wait." Dr. Strange raised his hand to stop Johnny's words. "There's someone else."**

**"What?"**

"**He's brought Peter's wife into it. She's down there witnessing this." Dr. Strange wrinkled his brow as he continued to since the fight. He displayed a worried look on his face as he felt Peter crash into a stone pillar.**

"**Tell me something, Johnny. Remind me how you gained your powers."**

"**To save my father. I did it out of love. Why?"**

"**Hm, powerful. There's hope for the boy."**

**As the stone column fell and the debris settled, Mephisto turned and faced Mary Jane. She pulled at her chains with every ounce of her strength but couldn't get free. The object which contained hers and Peter's life lay just beyond her reach, mocking her from where it sat.**

**When the last of the column fell, she yelled Peter's name loud enough to echo off the walls. Tears flowed freely down her face and she gave up on reaching for the container in front of her.**

"**Quiet cow," the demon said. "Unlike him, you still have a life with that…"**

**With a loud roar and an explosion of rubble, a figure emerged from the middle of the fallen column and locked its sights on the demon known as Mephisto and yelled his name. The costume was the same red and blue with a web-like pattern covering the boots, gloves, and most of the torso with a spider motif in the center of the chest. However, instead of the web pattern being its usual black, flames coursed along the lines and occasionally flared from them. Where Peter's face was, a skull had taken its place. The web pattern of the mask that was ripped off him adorned the surface with flames emitting from them to cover his head.**

**Mary Jane couldn't believe her eyes. The man she knew as Peter Parker was now an amalgam of his Spider-Man alter ego and another vigilante she knew as Ghost Rider.**

**Staring at the mortal man he thought was put down, Mephisto couldn't believe what was transpiring. In all his taunting and smug superiority, he didn't sense that this mortal was infused with supernatural powers. Powers he himself had given to another.**

**Faster than was humanly possible, but not for one such us himself, the flame skulled Peter Parker charged the demon and tackled him to the ground. He began to pummel him remorselessly as he let out another rage filled yell.**

**Mephisto had no choice but to cover up in the hopes to protect himself from his attacker. The force behind every hit would have undoubtedly broken his arms quite easily, had it not been for his supernatural powers. However, this was his domain and not the human's. He was stronger than this mortal who was making him beyond angry.**

**As Peter cocked his fist back to land another blow, the demon reached out and grabbed him by the throat. With a snarl he threw the human into a nearby wall and regained his footing.**

"**I do not know how you got those powers, but rest assured I will make Blaze pay for his transgressions." A flick of his wrist created a ball of hellfire in his hand. With sights on a recovering Peter, he wound up and prepared to throw the flaming projectile at the unsuspecting man.**

**"Peter!" Mary Jane yelled.**

**Before Mephisto could release the hellfire, Peter got back to his feet and fired a web shot at the demon's face. Not only did a blind him, but it burned him as well. With a yell of pain, the demon dropped the fireball and clawed at the sticky substance. It hurt just as bad as Johnny's hellfire attacks, but what made it worse was its adhesion to his flesh.**

**The moment the burning substance was finally off, Mephisto begin to hurl multiple balls of hellfire at Peter. Dozens of flaming objects exploded around him as he dodged every one of the incoming projectiles. One moment he was on the ground, the next, he was airborne and bouncing off dozens of stalactites and stalagmites with his spider sense guiding him. Stone debris filled the air along with fire and smoke.**

"**Give it up. Parker! This is my domain. I am the master here. You are only a worthless, insignificant insect."**

**No sooner had the demon said those words when a ball of webbing shot past his grotesque head. It narrowly missed him and he intended on returning the attack tenfold. Putting his hands together, Mephisto created a large ball of hellfire and hurled it at an oncoming Peter with a smile. The second before impact, the skull faced superhero spun a burning shield of webbing. The impact of exploding hellfire pushed him back with enough force to make his heels imbed in the dry, cracked ground.**

**Before the smoke could clear, Mephisto was on the attack. He sliced through the wedding and hit Peter with a barrage of attacks. "You cannot win here, Parker. You cannot hope to defeat me. You should have accepted the decision you made and not try to change things. Your future, the woman's future, are mine!"**

"**Think again!"**

**Peter delivered a hard punch to Mephisto's face and followed it up with a face crunching kick to his chin. As a demon fell back to hit the ground, Peter landed at the foot of his fallen foe.**

**The ball of webbing was never meant to hit him, a revelation that was revealed the moment Mephisto turned to get up and laid eyes on Mary Jane. The burning glob of hellfire web stuck to the wall close to her and was being used melt through her shackles to free herself. He knew what she was going to go after the moment she was unrestrained and scrambled to his feet to stop her.**

**When Peter saw the demon's attention on Mary Jane, he leapt at the back of Mephisto but didn't get a chance to attack him. The moment he was an arms width away, the demon caught and threw him hard into the ground.**

**"Get away from there!" the demon yelled at Mary Jane.**

**As Mary Jane closed in on the altar with the container of her and Peter's lives together, the demon manifested another ball of hellfire and threw it at the red haired woman.**

**Time seemed to slow as Peter saw Mephisto release the ball of hellfire. The flaming object was aimed at Mary Jane's head and was quickly approaching. Her eyes grew wide as it drew closer. She had no time to run and no cover to hide behind. Instinctively, she threw her hands up in front of her in a useless defensive motion and shut her eyes tightly in preparedness to be hit by the incoming projectile.**

**One moment, Mary Jane's life flashed before her eyes, or rather hers and Peter's, and the next, she heard a loud scream come from in front of her as Peter put himself between the hellfire and her. He took the full brunt of Mephisto's attack and fell to the ground before her.**

"**Peter!" With the container forgotten, she pulled him into her arms.**

**He had turned back into his human form and felt the impacts residual effects over his entire body. Had it not been for Johnny's powers, he would have not survived. His costume was in tatters and his skin showed signs of bruising, scrapes, and black scorch marks.**

"**Oh my God, Peter, are you okay? Can you move?"**

"**Ugh, Mary… Mary Jane."**

"**We have to get out of here."**

"**No."**

"**Peter, he's too strong. He's going to kill you."**

"**Not yet. I'm not leaving here until I…"**

"**Peter, please." She gripped him tightly and shed a few tears.**

"**MJ," he said, sitting up. "MJ, why did you say yes?"**

"**What?"**

"**When he offered us the deal, why did you say yes?"**

**She stared into his eyes, not believing he would ask such a question at a time like this. "Because I love you. I never stopped loving you."**

"**Then listen to me. What he did, what he promised was a lie. It was a trick. Aunt May was dead before he offered it to us. She was dead before we agreed to anything."**

"**Oh God, Peter. We… We…"**

**Peter lifted her chin to look at him. "I lost Aunt May. I wasn't right to try and save her after she was gone. I couldn't change what happened but I can change what's going to happen. I'm not losing you. I will not leave here without you. You're my wife."**

**He held up his left hand and showed her the tan line from his wedding ring. Mary Jane, with tears in her eyes, smiled and showed him her wedding ring tan line. They both shared a look of understanding. No words were needed as the true way they felt about each other was said through their shared gaze.**

"**What's this? Given up already? Have you had enough time to say goodbye to each other? It sickens me to see such a sight," Mephisto yelled. He stomped forward. The dry ground cracked beneath him as he crushed rocks underfoot.**

"**Mary Jane," Peter said. "I'm going to set things right. I'll fix this. I'll…"**

**"No," she said. "We'll fix this, together."**

**A grin stretched on Peter space at her words. His injuries had calmed to a tolerable level as he looked upon his wife.**

"**Go get 'em tiger." She kissed him deeply. With everything she had and he gladly returned it.**

**She was the reason he was strong. She was the reason he was weak. She was the reason for his everything. She was the reason he turned to face Mephisto and ignited the power of the Ghost Rider inside himself yet again. And she was the reason he would put this demon down and take back what's theirs.**

**It was time to end this.**


	7. Chapter 7

**7.**

**Leaping back into the fight, Peter shot forth like a missile at the demon. Mephisto dodged the attack at the last second; clearly misjudging the speed the mortal possessed and felt the ground crack as Peter slammed his fist into the terrain.**

**Before Mephisto could attempt to attack, Peter recoiled and landed a shot to his jaw. The demon stumbled back a few steps from the hit and was immediately attacked again. This time as Peter drew close, Mephisto grabbed him by the arm and threw him into the side of a stone structure. The counter failed as the flame skulled Peter bounced off the structure and tackled the demon to the ground.**

**Mary Jane looked on from her position as her husband fought for both their lives. Mephisto may be stronger but Peter was much quicker and faster. Every swing he would take, Peter would duck and landed a few of his own. It never ceased to amaze her at what her husband was capable of, but despite wanting to see him beat the demon for what he has done to them, she had a job to do.**

**Her attention was turned back to the stone pillar with the glowing container. If she were to get her husband back that she would have to shatter it to release its contents. She was less than a hairs length away when she heard her name being called from behind her.**

"**Mary Jane." She turned the moment her name was said and saw the shadow of her husband, Bobby Carr.**

"**Mary Jane," he said again. "What are you doing?"**

"**Bobby?"**

"**Don't touch that container Mary Jane. You don't want to do that."**

**She was close, so close to the contender that a single push would send it crashing to the ground. She reached out to send it over the edge and end this nightmare when Bobby stopped her the moment before she could touch it.**

**"Let me go! Ohh!"**

**Mary Jane's eyes widened as she saw Bobby's face. His features seemed to change slightly to match that of Peter's before melting. Flesh loosened off his skull and terrified Mary Jane as this man seemed to melt before her.**

"**Mary Jane…" He advanced on her and tried to grab her other hand. "Mary Jane, come back. You have everything you ever wanted with me."**

**She fought the melting Bobby and freed her hands. Taking a few steps back, she watched as he took a stumbling step forward to grab her again.**

"**Mary Jane…"**

"**Get away from me!" she screamed.**

**The former movie star Bobby gave chase. Mary Jane turned and ran to keep as much distance from whatever this was and make her way back to the container but every time she set her sights on it, he was there the block her path.**

"**I was made for you. I can make you happy." He said while attempting to catch her. His once good looking features now resembled a melting candle.**

**She couldn't think of a way to lose or get rid of him and soon found herself at the small plateau's edge. She could hear Bobby move closer without looking. However, she didn't turn to see him, her sights are on Peter. All this time they were, she had forgotten who she really was. She was not Mary Jane Watson, she was Mary Jane Parker. Wife to superhero and while she may not have powers of her own or could never be as physically strong as he him, she could be strong enough to support him as he always supported her. They supported each other and it was through that, that they became strong enough to defeat any challenge. What this thing she had thought she wanted, a copy of Peter, could not and had not taken his place. In the back of her mind she knew this but told herself differently. No one could ever take the place of her husband.**

**"Mary Jane," Bobby called.**

**She turned to face the monstrosity behind her. He lunged at her with open hands to drag her back from the edge when she quickly dove to the side and tripped him off the small plateau.**

**Before she had time to get to her feet, the deformed Bobby Carr grabbed one of her legs. Mary Jane let out a shriek when she felt his hand clamp around her ankle. He let out a loud, otherworldly roar as he tried to pull her off the edge with him into a fiery chasm.**

**As she neared the end of the plateau, she dug her fingers into the ground in a desperate attempt to get to safety. She fought to break free and began to kick Bobby's face as hard as she could but his grip was unwavering.**

"**Let me go!" she demanded.**

"**Mary Jane," he said. "You could have everything. I could have given you everything."**

**Had it not have been the sight of Peter and the demon fighting below, she would have felt powerless to fight off this monstrosity. But as he drew his strength for her, she drew her strength from him.**

"**I want Peter! I want our lives back!" With the strongest kick she could muster, she kicked the shadow of her husband over the edge and into a fiery chasm below.**

**After the faux Peter's demise and yell of death, a loud crash of a body on the rock erupted throughout the catacombs of Mephisto's dimension. When Mary Jane looked back at the fight between man and demon, she saw Mephisto embedded within the dry dirt and rock with Peter laying into him with hard rights and lefts.**

**The intensity of his punches were reflected in the flames surrounding his neck and skull. The fire erupting from his web pattern also intensified to the point where he was completely covered in flame. What appeared to be blood from the demon flew from his mouth and nose into the air from the vicious assault. For being his domain, Mephisto was losing rather decisively.**

**The fight was going Peter's way. He had Mephisto pinned to the ground at his mercy and didn't notice the flames around him were dissipating. Slowly, they burned out until he was human once again. Not noticing at all, Peter kept his attack up as long as he could until his knuckles became raw and bloody. He couldn't afford to let him back up. He needed to keep Mephisto down as long as he could to give Mary Jane time to break the container and release the life that was theirs when he heard her yell his name.**

"**Peter, it won't move!" Mary Jane pulled container with all her strength but it wouldn't budge. Small, skeletal, hand like appendages gripped the base of it and refused to let go.**

**Leaving the demon partly in the ground, Peter shot out a web line and swung up to where his wife was.**

"**Peter," she said. "I can't move it! It won't…"**

"**Yes it will!" Together, both husband and wife put all the strength they could gather and succeeded in slowly prying it up. The small hands broke cracked and broke until the container was free.**

"**Parker!" Mephisto yelled as he appeared behind Peter. With a strong swipe, he backhanded Peter into a nearby wall where he crumbled to the floor like a rag doll. "Put that down!" he yelled at Mary Jane.**

"**Stop!" She yelled. "I'll break it! I swear I will." She raised the container over her head to smash it to the ground.**

"**Then I'll kill you, you sow!"**

**He raised a clawed hand in preparedness to strike her down when a vicious yell caught his ear. Peter had taken a flying leap of Mephisto and connected with a punch directly to the center of the demon's face. The hit was hard enough to knock him to the ground in a tumbling matter.**

"**Don't you ever touch my wife, you jackass!" Peter angrily told him.**

**As the demon struggled to his feet, Mary Jane brought down the container and Shattered it on the ground. The glowing object inside divided and entered Mary Jane and Peter's chests, producing a white glow around them. They had gotten their lives back.**

"**No!" Mephisto yelled.**

**Both husband and wife fell to the ground on their knees. The damage clothes they wore were now like new and any injuries they had sustained were healed completely.**

"**MJ!" Peter yelled.**

"**Peter!" Mary Jane yelled back. They both wrapped their arms around and held each other tightly when Mephisto let out a horrifying roar.**

"**Parker!" He lunged at the couple, ready to kill them both as Peter shielded his wife from the attack when a white column of light came down around the couple and deflected the demon back at the last minute.**

"**Peter, what's happening?" Mary Jane asked as she held onto him tightly.**

"**It's Strange. He's getting us out of here."**

"**No!" Mephisto yelled. "This is my domain! I make the rules here. I…"**

"**Mephisto!" Peter yelled.**

**The demon turned to the superhero and was met with an incredibly hard right hook to the jaw that forced his head to snap to the side violently.**

"**F&# you!" Peter yelled the moment his fist connected with the demon's face. **

**Before Mephisto could even consider to attack them both, Peter and Mary Jane banished from his realm. The white light they were in ascended back to the mortal realm and left everything its usual red color once again.**

"**Strange? Strange! Strange!" Mephisto yelled at the top of his lungs. The ground shook from his anger at the loss of his most prized possession. All he could do now was sulk alone in the bowels of hell.**


	8. Chapter 8

**8.**

**In the luxurious apartment of Harry Osborn, its occupant was taking his time on heading out the door for a dinner date. As always, he was met at the door by the hotel concierge with the evening's newspaper in hand. But this evening, something quite different happened. Instead of simply taking the paper and heading down the hall to the elevator, a red mist encircled him starting from the floor. The young concierge took several frightened steps back as the man before him turned into an otherworldly monstrosity complete with horns and red skin. The creature that was once Harry Osborn contorted, letting out loud, painful screams until finally bursting into nothing more than dust. The young man dropped his paper and fled as fast as he could as what was left of Harry, as well as the objects in his apartment, disappeared.**

**The creature disguised as May Parker went through a similar fate as it too turned back to its true form, that which Peter saw in the mirror. The inside of the house was filled with an agonizing scream as the creature and house decorations disappeared, leaving the structure looking like it had been empty for months. The creature inside Peter's apartment and those that quietly stalked him vanished completely from existence as if none were ever there.**

**Everything was quiet around Mary Jane and Peter. One moment they could hear the roar of a demonic monstrosity and the next it was gone. The fire and brimstone smell that once invaded their noses was replaced by a musty smell with a hint of candlewick smoke and the only sound they heard with each other's breathing as they stood in each other's arms.**

"**Well, it looks like you've been through hell," Johnny blaze said.**

**Slowly, Peter and Mary Jane opened their eyes to take in their surroundings. It took them a moment to realize they were no longer in Mephisto's realm, but were back in the Sanctum Sanctorum, the house of Doctor Strange. Like before, the room was still dark with ancient books lining the shelves of the walls. However, a second large, white circle lay on the floor where the couple stood.**

"**If I were you, I would be glad Strange here had that design finished when he did," said Johnny.**

**Both Peter and Mary Jane looked themselves over. Everything was in place and neither were injured.**

"**Blaze?" Peter said when Doctor Strange stepped up beside him.**

"**Parker, glad I got you out in time," Doctor Strange told him. "I had hoped I would get you back here in time. I could see everything that went on down there. Good job."**

"**Thank you." Peter said. "Thank you. I don't know how I can…"**

"**No thanks needed," The Sorcerer Supreme said as he waived Peter off.**

"**Ugh, 'scuse me," Johnny said. "I think one is in order here."**

"**Johnny," Peter said. "Thank you."**

"**Peter." Mary Jane came up from behind her husband and took hold of his arm. "What exactly happened? Why did all this happen?"**

"**Mary Jane, I…"**

"**I believe this is something you two should discuss in private." Doctor Strange said. "All you need to know Ms. Parker is that things are as it should be."**

"**Is it really?" She asked her husband. "What we did…"**

"**Ms. Parker," Johnny blaze interrupted. "I know why you two did what you did. I was in the same position myself. Believe me when I tell you that, even though you had good intentions, you should have never done that. You two were willing to give up your love and lives together. That's something I wish I had with my father and… Well, just be glad you're together."**

"**Thank you." Mary Jane hugged both Johnny and Doctor strange. "Both of you."**

"**Before you go anywhere," Dr. Strange said as he took her hand. "I believe these belong to you." He placed two small objects in the palm of her hand. When she pulled it back she saw it was hers and Peter's wedding rings.**

"**How did you?"**

"**Mrs. Parker, I have taken many precautions to assure that I am well protected at all costs both inside these walls and out. I may not have my original powers, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve." He had a sly grin as he pointed to the amulet around his neck. "It's not just for show."**

"**There's uh, just one thing you can do for me Parker." Johnny said, looking at Peter.**

"**What's that?"**

"**Let Strange here give me my powers back while you tell me how good it felt to bust Mephisto's chops. I've done it before but I want to know how good you felt."**

**High above the city of New York, two people stood atop the Empire State building. The chill of the air at such in elevation didn't bother them in the least as they passionately embraced. Birds took off, wind swept through their hair, and for the first time in a long time, they didn't feel a void within themselves. Time lost all meaning to them as the only thing that mattered was each other.**

**After yet another long, passionate kiss, the two stared into each other's eyes as they continued to hold the other close. "You cold?" Peter asked.**

"**Not in the slightest." She ran her hands through his hair and clasped them together behind his head. "You're amazing you know that? You went through all this to…"**

"**MJ, I'm not the one who got us together again, you did that."**

"**But you fought that, that demon for us."**

"**You broke the container. Not me."**

"**You gave me the time to do it."**

**Peter smiled slightly as he rested his forehead on hers. "You give me the strength the fight. I told you once before, you're the reason I do what I do. I may go out there for those people, but you are the reason I come home every night."**

"**Speaking of home, Mr. Parker, where do we go from here?"**

"**I don't know. Doctor Strange kept it so no one knows who I am. Besides my small apartment, I don't know where we could go."**

"**By stuff's back in LA. I don't have anything here." She drew him closer to her. "But I don't think that will be a problem tonight."**

"**Mary Jane Parker, I'll gonna take you home and show you how much I love you." The two kissed again as Peter took a step closer to the edge of the metal platform they were on.**

"**Wait," she said. She slipped her hand into her pants pocket and pulled out the two wedding rings. She held his hand and slipped the band on his ring finger where it once was. Before she could put on hers, he stopped her and took the ring from her.**

"**Hold on, I got this." He held her hand and slipped her wedding band on her finger. "I love you Mary Jane."**

"**I love you Peter." She gave him yet another deep kiss. "Face it, Tiger," she said as she held him tight. "We both hit the jackpot."**

**With a powerful leap into the sky, Peter and Mary Jane fell away from the top of the Empire State building. As the world went on as normal, a newly reunited husband and wife swung through the city and into the sunset. For the first time in a long time, tomorrow had new meaning for them as the longest day of their lives finally came to an end.**

**Hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I liked writing it. As with the last one (and probably with all my stories) here are the two songs that helped me write this and fit the story:**

**The Catalyst by Linkin Park**

**You're the One by Rev Theory**


End file.
